Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fume exhaust hood device for use above a range (stove top) wherein the fume exhaust device can be started with the aid of a module receiving an activation signal from the range.
Fume exhaust devices may be configured as exhaust hoods or as exhaust chimneys that are disposed above the range or another open cooking area, such as a deep-fat fryer or an open grill, to take up the cooking fumes from the cooking area, filter them and either direct them out of the room toward the outside or return them odor-free to the room. Such fume exhaust devices are sufficiently known.
The currently used fume exhaust devices generally have a manual fan control that permits an incremental adjustment of the speed and thus the control of the air flow through the fume exhaust device and the adjustment to individual requirements. However, fume exhaust devices have become known, which respond to the state of the cooking process that takes place in the cooking area. German Utility Model DE 76 33 882 discloses an exhaust hood for a range disposed underneath the exhaust hood and the exhaust hood has a sensor of a moisture filling device. The sensor controls the operation of the exhaust hood via an evaluation circuit. This is to provide a state-dependent control of the exhaust hood.
It is furthermore known to equip an exhaust hood with a temperature sensor (see Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 25 18 750 A). It is also known from Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 29 51 409 A to disposed a so-called residual heat indicator on a stove top, which signals the heating state of a burner to the user until safe temperature values have been reached. In connection therewith, Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 32 45 302 A discloses a configuration of a photoelectric sensor in an exhaust hood that responds to a signal generator located in the burner, e.g., the residual heat indicator.
It is furthermore known to provide a transmission connection between the range and the exhaust hood so that the exhaust hood can be controlled via the stove top or its input elements and controls. This connection can be galvanic, i.e. in the form of wires, or wireless, by radio, ultrasound or photoelectric techniques.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a fume exhaust device for use above a range which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, which has improved functionality and user friendliness of the fume exhaust device in connection with a range located underneath it.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a fume exhaust hood device for use above a range, including:
an exhaust device for evacuating fumes;
a fume detecting sensor element;
a control circuit for starting up and operating the exhaust device and connected to the fume detecting sensor element; and an additional sensor element that one of directly and indirectly continuously detects an operating state of the range and serves as a control member of the control circuit for starting up the exhaust device, the control circuit is functionally configured such that in a presence of a range-on operating state detected by the additional sensor element, for a duration of the range-on operating state, the control circuit functioning in an automatic operating state that activates and controls the exhaust device.
According to the invention, a fume exhaust device that satisfies these requirements to a high degree is characterized in that the fume exhaust device is equipped with a fume detecting sensor element and, additionally, with a sensor, element that directly or indirectly detects continuous activation of the range area connection. The additional sensor element serves as a control member of a control circuit to start up the fume exhaust device and in that the control circuit is functionally configured in such a way that in the presence of the range area connection criterion (i.e. the range is in an operating state) detected by the additional sensor element, for the duration of the connection, the control circuit for the automatic control of the exhaust device is activated.
With such a measure in a fume exhaust device, the additional sensor element is typically kept in continuous stand-by operation via a mini-power pack so that the additional sensor element can detect a typical range area connection criterion at any time. Such a criterion can be, for example, the residual heat indicator, but this requires that a relevant heat output is already being supplied to the range. It is more practical to detect the startup of the range control itself, i.e., to respond, for example, to the actuation of a main switch or other input members. The states that are thus established without any heat outputs can be detected and evaluated by simple devices known in the art and can thus be provided to the additional sensor element of the fume exhaust device, preferably by radio techniques. For the duration of the connection (switched on state) of the range, this signal is thus available and is registered by the additional sensor element of the fume exhaust device and supplied to the control circuit. The absence of this signal causes the additional sensor element to switch off the automatic function of the fume exhaust device. In this case, it is provided that the fume exhaust device can be manually set to the desired power values. Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is described herein as embodied in a fume exhaust device for use above a range, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details described, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments.